Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Wrestlers

Area Qualifiers/Opening Round Opponents

160 – Aidan Udell (33-7) Soph., Regina vs. No. 6 Blake McAlister (44-3) Soph., South Central Calhoun

195 – No. 4 Rowan Udell (41-1) Sr., Regina vs. Caden Fontinel (38-4) Sr., HLV

Returning State Champions

Current Weight/Wrestler/2019 Championship Weight

113 – Marcel Lopez, New London, Soph., (106)

126 – Aidan Noonan, Cascade, Jr., (113)

126 – Adam Allard, West Sioux, Sr., (120)*

132 – Robert Avila Jr., Lisbon, Soph., (126)

138 – Cael Happel, Lisbon, Sr., (132)*

182 – Treyton Cacek, GT-RA, Sr., (170)

*-Multi-year champion

Undefeated Wrestlers

106 – Mikey Baker (46-0) Fr., West Sioux

106 – Gable Porter (31-0) Fr., Underwood

113 – Clayton McDonough (45-0) Soph., Central Springs

113 – Braden Graff (42-0) Soph., West Sioux

120 – Chris Ferguson (17-0) Soph., Sioux Central

126 – Adam Allard (47-0) Sr., West Sioux

126 – Aidan Noonan (34-0) Jr., Cascade

132 – Robert Avila Jr. (41-0) Soph., Lisbon

132 – Isaac Schimmels (25-0) Jr., Denver

138 – Cael Happel (46-0) Sr., Lisbon

145 – Nick Hamilton (51-0) Soph., Underwood

170 – Ethan Fulcher (45-0) Sr., Hudson

170 – Drew Venteicher (31-0) Sr., Bedford-Lenox

195 – Tate Hagen (39-0) Sr., West Hancock

220 – Gideon Rollene (45-0) Sr., Northwood Kensett

285 – Chet Buss (42-0) Soph., North Butler-Clarksville

First Round Match to Watch

Someone is going to get the first state meet victory of their career on Thursday when 160-pound sophomores Aidan Udell and Blake McAlister collide in the opening round.

Udell (33-7) is making his state meet debut after an impressive postseason run capped by a 10-5 win over No. 10 Cayden Miller of Midland in the district title match.

Sixth-ranked McAlister (44-3) of South Central Calhoun is seeking his first win at the state meet after going 0-2 at 145 pounds as a freshman.

Udell has been at his best in the postseason posting a pair of pins and a 14-2 major decision during his run to state.

Who To Watch

Regina senior Rowan Udell has already enjoyed a breakthrough season going from 25-9 a year ago to 41-1 this season while advancing to the state meet for the first time.

Udell will now attempt to put the finishing touches on a stellar senior season with a strong showing at the state meet.

Fourth-ranked Udell faces HLV senior Caden Fontinel (38-4) in his state meet debut on Thursday and could get a chance to avenge his only loss this season in the 195-pound semifinals.

If Udell can get past the quarterfinals a rematch with top-ranked Cole Clark (42-2) of Lisbon would likely be waiting in the semis.

Clark handed Udell his only loss of the season with an 11-3 major decision in the District 8 title match last Saturday.

Weight Class to Watch

It doesn’t get much better than a No. 1 vs. No. 2 state title match between undefeated defending state champions.

Except maybe when one of those wrestlers is seeking to become a four-time champion.

That’s the scenario at 126 pounds where West Sioux senior Adam Allard and Cascade junior Aidan Noonan are on a collision course for title matchup.

Allard (47-0) is a three-time champion winning titles at 106, 113 and 120 the past three seasons.

The top-ranked senior boasts a 196-1 career record and is seeking a third consecutive unbeaten season to close his career.

Allard joins Lisbon senior 138-pounder Cael Happel as 1A wrestlers seeking a fourth state title this weekend.

Second-ranked Noonan (34-0) has his own 84-match winning streak after going 49-0 on his way to the 113-pound title last season.

The Teams

District Champions (State Qualifiers)

Don Bosco (10); Lisbon (8); West Sioux (8); Logan-Magnolia (6); Underwood (6); New London (6); Martensdale-St. Marys (5); Denver (4)

2019 Top 5 Team Finishers – 1. Don Bosco 151; 2. Lisbon 104.5; 3. Denver 99.5; 4. Underwood 97.5; 5. West Sioux 86

Last 5 Team Champs

2019 – Don Bosco

2018 – Lisbon 

2017 – Lisbon 

2016 – Alburnett 

2015 – Alburnett 

What to Watch in the Team Race

Lisbon won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 before Don Bosco surged to the top spot in Class 1A last seasons.

The Dons will now attempt to match the Lions recent string of success with their first consecutive crowns since winning five in a row from 2006-2010.

Top-ranked Don Bosco has a Class 1A-best 10 qualifiers and all 10 are ranked in the top five at their respective weight making the Dons the favorite to repeat.

The top two contenders, second-ranked Lisbon and third-ranked West Sioux each have eight qualifiers.

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